So You Think You Can Dance is back, which means so am I. Are you ready for night one of auditions? Don’t forget to comment below!
Any returnees have had two years to improve. They should be a lot stronger. I wonder how many returning people we will see.
Mary Murphy has returned to the judging table with Nigel Lythgoe, and new addition Vanessa Hudgens. Can’t be any worse than Jason Derulo, amiright?
Same rules apply, you either get sent home, sent to Dance Academy (no longer Vegas), or sent through to choreography (where you either go home, or get a golden ticket).
Let’s start with the LA Auditions!
1) Mark Villaver- 26- Honolulu, HI- Breaking Contemporary
His mom is deaf, but she also used to be a street dancer, pop n locking. That’s pretty cool. He seems like a chill dude. I like him already, before he’s even danced. He’s basically mixed contemporary with breaking, to create a truly unique experience. I would not be surprised at all if he’s trained, which should help him sail through the dance academy. A great way to start off the season. Mary says he raised the roof, and that he’s one of the first breaker kids that has had lessons and integrated it into his routine. She also loves his personality and spirit. Nigel says he’ll remember him long after he’s gone today. He calls him sensational. Vanessa says he’s amazing, strong, talented, and creative. He’s straight through to the Academy. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO
2) Vasily and Christina- Ballroom
They’ve been married two years, or three years? Who knows. They don’t even know. He does the dance blindfolded. I guess you could call it ballroom ish? There were some samba rolls in there. I think it’s also very contemporary inspired. It’s another blended routine. They do this cool kiss swing thing where she kisses him as he swings her around in a circle. They’re both good dancers, and I appreciate that they brought something fresh to their style to stand out. Nigel says it was one of the best routines he’s ever seen on this stage. Nigel calls it Fifty Shades Of Dance. Mary says they were able to tell a story and take it to an artistic level. She’s trying not to cry. Vanessa says it was beautiful and romantic, and loved the kiss turn. Nigel says Christina’s technique is beautiful. he says it was very, very special. They’re both straight through to the academy. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO
3) Robert Greene- 24- Raleigh, NC- PopNLock/Animation
He also plays violin. he started dancing in high school. He’s got an interesting outfit on. He’s very entertaining and funny in his routine. It’s either animation or pop n lock. Maybe even a little krump thrown in there for good measure. He’s got a strong personality when he dances, very showman-esque. Another strong audition. Vanessa said it was so much fun to work, and she loved how fierce he was. Nigel says the best thing about him is his creativity, and he has a good sense of humor. Mary loved it. He’s straight through to the Academy! – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO
4) Alexis Gilbert- 22- Riverside, CA- Jazz
She has NOT SLEPT. Ever? Bubbly personality. She’s SO NERVOUS. Unlike the first three dancers who were all incredibly unique, I felt this was just a by-the-numbers audition. Show your technique, show a little personality, and just make it through to the next round. She’s not bad, don’t get me wrong, bu the uniqueness and originality is missing. I won’t remember her audition in a few weeks. Mary says her love of dance oozes out of her pores. Vanessa calls her a ray of sunshine. Nigel only needs one word. Academy. She’s straight through. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO
5) Luke Dryjski- Tampa, FL- Bad Auditioner
He has his own “unique style”, which is lingo for “I can’t dance”. We were bound to get one of these this episode. He’s been dancing for four years, and dance came naturally to him. He’s “trained” in hip hop. As predicted, he’s not great. However, I’ll admit, he does a few things I wouldn’t be able to do. but I’m also not auditioning for the show. Mary enjoyed it, but what he does won’t translate. Vanessa says that she loves him for getting up and showing us his stuff. She wants to dance with him, so she gets on stage and dances a bit with him. I have a feeling that’s the ONLY reason we saw this audition. He doesn’t get any better when she dances with him. Nigel tells him that his head was down a lot during his solo, but he was watching Vanessa the whole time the second time. He’s obviously a no. He disses Vanessa to the camera afterward. LOL. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO
6) Darius Hickman- 18- Green Acres, FL- Contemporary
Nigel says he’s shocked at Darius’ story. Darius’s mom was in prison for drugs, and he lived with his aunt, who was in an abusive relationship. He was abused, starting at 4, and everytime they tried to escape, he chased them down. He never knew his dad. His aunt died three years ago. he now lives with his godmother. Dance allows him to let it all out. It’s a pretty standard routine, but there are some cool moves. That back bend was really cool. A few jumps were unique. Not so cookie cutter, but not fully fresh either. Just enough originality to get me excited though. He’s definitely technically proficient. No feedback from the judges. They just stand and hold golden tickets. He’s straight through to the Academy. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO
United Nations of Dance montage. It highlights all the dancers who have come to America from all over the world and auditioned for the show. None were super featured.
7) Anastasia and Viktoria- Twin sisters from Russia- Modern Dance
They came here just for this. I’ve been hearing good things about them. I know why they saved this for last. Best of the night, hands down. So unique, so memorable. Yes, they could have danced more, but their choreography is so unique. They told a story. I don’t know how they’ll do when split up, but they slayed their audition. it felt like it went on forever too. These girls are so professional. They got a standing ovation from the judges. Nigel calls it brilliant entertainment, and beautifully executed. Mary says it was one of the most unique auditions she’s ever seen, and it made her cry. Vanessa says she’d pay so much money to see them put on a show. They’re obviously straight through to the Academy. But can they survive being split up? ETA: Nigel said in an interview that the twins never made it to Academy due to Visa problems. – Click to Watch Performance VIDEO
Join me again next week for part two of the Los Angeles auditions. This was an incredible start to the season. So many stand out auditions. Only one joke. Not a bad ratio.
